Archive for Lairig Ghru

Winter’s first snows have arrived and departed again so quickly even the ptarmigan have been caught out. Less than three weeks after a walk in the Cairngorms with the hills well coated with snow, they were now all but stripped bare. That was the first surprise, two others: the nicer weather than was forecast; and the shortness of the walk versus the times quoted in various sources.

Highlights were Chalamain Gap, the narrow, bouldery feature traveled through and the many ptarmigan clustered in groups around the remaining patches of snow on the higher ground. Though I have been through and near the Lairig Ghru over half a dozen times now, we had great views down and over it from a new angle for me and of Garbh Coire sitting above it to the south of Braeriach, within it an ice patched Lochan Uaine nestled in the colder side of the corrie.

As we walked out we were treated to lovely skies and colouring on the hillsides as the sun set and a moon, already high, began to dominate above.